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A U.S. Marshal Service investigator searches the garage at the residence of Barbara Cameron, the ex-wife of fugitive James Cameron, Tuesday in Hallowell. Authorities are continuing to hunt for Maine’s former top drug prosecutor. Staff photo by Andy Molloy

U.S. marshals are leading the nationwide search for Cameron, who cut off his electronic monitoring bracelet and fled from his house in Rome last week after a court upheld seven of 13 child pornography convictions against him.

Cameron received a 16-year prison sentence in March 2011 but was released five months later pending his appeal of his convictions.

U.S. marshals say he fled from his house in Echo Valley Estates in Rome on the night of Nov. 14 or early the next morning — within hours of the federal court ruling upholding seven convictions.

On Tuesday, marshals and local authorities searched Barbara Cameron’s home on Greenville Street in Hallowell. March said Barbara Cameron consented to the search, which ended around 4 p.m.

James Cameron, formerly the state’s top drug prosecutor, went to the house on the afternoon of Nov. 14, just after he learned of the court ruling, according to court papers.

Barbara Cameron reported that her ex-husband told their son he was going back to prison, and that it appeared he was not doing well, the court papers said.

March wouldn’t say whether Cameron’s knowledge of the legal system as a former prosecutor complicates marshals’ hunt.

“You could presume that he has more legal expertise than the average citizen,” he said. “I don’t know if he’s smarter than the average bear. We’re pretty good at this.”

March said that if Cameron is following news accounts of the hunt for him, “I’m hopeful that he’ll end this pursuit on his own and contact us at 780-3355 to arrange his surrender into custody peacefully.”

Kennebec Journal Staff Writer Michael Shepherd can be contacted at 621-5632 or at:

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